ABSTRACT

All relationships could be described in terms of the coordinations and conflicts between competing needs for attention and the mechanisms utilized to seek this goal. In this article, I introduce the initialism AGM (Attention-getting Mechanism) to refer to an interpersonal style or particular behavior or constellation of behaviors that one adopts and displays publicly that is unhealthy, repetitively counterproductive and ultimately harmful to self and/or others. Delineated from socially- and personally- productive modes of seeking attention, self-defeating AGMs categorize across varied spectra, from subtle and seemingly inhibited, to blatant, excessive, or frankly pathological. They arise in response to trauma and psychological disturbance and, as such, are the outcome of enduring deficits in getting appropriate and sufficient attention. I record the evolution of my thinking and doing, over the course of leading two group sessions, spaced several months apart, regarding dilemmas in getting attention. The first drew me to the topic, and, unexpectedly, stimulated personal associations and remembrances, which centered on a cumulative childhood trauma organized around the term, “AGM.” I approached the second session better equipped to understand the proceedings, and to connect my ideas to current diagnostic criteria, technical considerations, clinical research, and metapsychological theory.

 抽象的

所有关系都可以用关注的竞争性需求与用于寻求这一目标的机制之间的协调和冲突来描述。在本文中，我介绍了首字母缩写 AGM（注意力获取机制），指的是一个人采取并公开展示的一种人际风格或特定行为或一系列行为，这些行为是不健康的、反复适得其反并最终对自己和/或他人有害。根据寻求关注的社会和个人生产模式，弄巧成拙的年度股东大会分为不同的范围，从微妙的和看似压抑的，到公然的、过度的或坦白的病态的。它们的出现是对创伤和心理障碍的反应，因此，是长期缺乏适当和充分关注的结果。在两次间隔几个月的小组会议的过程中，我记录了我的想法和行为的演变，讨论了获得关注的困境。第一个吸引了我的话题，并且出乎意料地激发了我的个人联想和回忆，这些联想和回忆集中在围绕“年度股东大会”一词组织的累积的童年创伤上。我在第二次会议上更好地理解了会议进程，并将我的想法与当前的诊断标准、技术考虑、临床研究和元心理学理论联系起来。